Mobile phones will no longer be allowed beyond the main entrance (Singh Dwar) at Badrinath Dham. The Garhwal Commissioner has issued instructions in this regard. A meeting was held at the Rishikesh Transit Camp to review preparations for the Char Dham Yatra.
The Garhwal Commissioner instructed the Chamoli district administration to make arrangements for depositing mobile phones. Controversies are arising at religious sites due to the making of reels and vlogs. Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, IG Garhwal Rajiv Swaroop, and the District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police of Pauri, Tehri, Chamoli, Haridwar, Uttarkashi, and Rudraprayag were present at the meeting. It is worth noting that more than 27,000 devotees have visited the winter abodes of the Char Dhams during the ongoing winter pilgrimage.
The Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, the winter abode of Baba Kedarnath, has received the highest number of visitors, with over 17,000 devotees. According to the Tourism Department’s data, an average of more than 500 devotees are visiting the winter abodes of the Char Dhams daily.
After the closure of the gates of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri Dhams, the winter worship takes place at their respective winter abodes. Baba Kedarnath’s winter abode is in Ukhimath, where 17,000 devotees have visited so far. The worship of Badrinath Dham takes place at Pandukeshwar and the Narsingh Temple in Joshimath.
Winter pilgrimage is being promoted.
6,400 devotees have visited these two sites. The winter worship of Yamunotri Dham takes place in Kharsali, where 1,017 devotees have had darshan of Maa Yamuna. Meanwhile, 3,300 devotees have visited Mukhwa, the winter abode of Gangotri Dham.
The government is promoting the winter pilgrimage to boost year-round tourism in the state. The Tourism Department is actively promoting the winter pilgrimage. Those pilgrims who are unable to reach the Char Dham sites can offer prayers and have darshan at the winter pilgrimage sites
